


Suit and Tie

by toomuchgawking



Category: Glee
Genre: Infidelity, M/M, Open Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-13
Updated: 2013-04-13
Packaged: 2017-12-08 09:15:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/759687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toomuchgawking/pseuds/toomuchgawking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sebastian's sixteen when he ends up at Dalton, in a blazer and a tie that are the tools to fitting in and coming out on top. That's where he meets Blaine - and by the time Blaine meets Kurt he knows the importance of a good suit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Suit and Tie

**Author's Note:**

  * For [out_there](https://archiveofourown.org/users/out_there/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Types, re: Breaking Them](https://archiveofourown.org/works/450186) by [out_there](https://archiveofourown.org/users/out_there/pseuds/out_there). 



> The shirts Blaine admires are some of [these](http://www.ernestalexander.com/shop/shirts) Ernest Alexander ones, Kurt's camo blazer is [here](http://www.bespokenclothiers.com/collection/tailoring/woodland-camo-blazer), and the Westwood jackets he's admiring are [here](http://www.viviennewestwood.co.uk/shop/menswear/mens-coats/salt-%26-pepper-leather-jacket-16035/) and [here](http://www.viviennewestwood.co.uk/shop/menswear/mens-jackets/bordeaux-summer-wool-historical-jacket-16276/).

Sebastian’s sixteen; he goes to Dalton with a bitter taste under his tongue that has nothing to do with the alcohol he slips into his travel mug with his coffee. In the parking lot his dad pulls the suitcase out of his car and claps him on the shoulder. Their eye contact is brief; his dad looks away first. They walk into reception, and from there to his new dorm room, in the same silence that held between them during the drive. For a few minutes he worries his father will stay to help him unpack, but it turns out there's no need.

He says, “I hope Dalton suits you,” and “Stay out of trouble,” and forces a smile before slipping out of the room.

Sebastian takes a sip of the cold coffee and vodka from the travel mug and sets it down on his new, standard issue bedside table.

He’d shot up like a weed the year before, and the close cut uniform is stifling. But if he’s going to get through the next two years he knows he needs to be comfortable. The blazer has to button snug and fitted over a crisp white shirt, his tie has to fall straight, and he needs to fit inside his clothes like he was born there. If nothing else, Sebastian can be a chameleon. He managed in France for two years; he can curl his influence easy like smoke through a private school in Ohio. It’s time to make Daddy proud.

\--

It’s a practiced motion when Sebastian’s fingers tilt up Blaine’s chin so he’ll accept a kiss. Blaine’s been receiving the same kiss most mornings since he moved to New York with Sebastian, through tiny apartments, and college, and through entry level jobs and right up until now. This job. Blaine’s pretty sure he wouldn’t have it if it weren’t for Sebastian. It’s not exactly that he isn’t qualified, because he is. He can do his job. Just, the experience isn’t really there. Not like it should be. He’s not really old enough. Sebastian’s the one who can network, who knew who to keep in touch with from Dalton, who got Blaine into the magazine in the first place. Sometimes he isn’t sure how he feels about it. But Sebastian tugs his collar into place and tilts his chin up for a kiss every morning, and he forgets.

There’s a constant niggling worry in the back of his mind that people will resent him for have it though. So he does his best to exude an aura of professionalism. Simple, classic clothes work like armour. It was something he’d learned at fifteen, when he shifted schools while he still had a black eye and ribs that ached with every breath, moved from wearing his dad’s bow tie to a school dance to slipping a blazer over his shoulders every day. Uniformity boosts confidence, and it’s easy to walk into work with a spring in his step with Sebastian’s voice saying, “You look great, killer,” following him in.

Working late is one more thing. There’s more than enough to do, always. Editorial work isn’t something Blaine ever saw himself doing. But it suits him. It’s one more thing to owe Sebastian, after long conversations in college, in pushing and pulling each other. Somehow it worked.

The last person on his team leaving before him (it’s the week before deadline and half the staff are there after hours) shuffles past Blaine’s office door with a thin, white tie like a slash down the front of a black shirt and suit, and it sticks in Blaine’s mind until he gets home.

\--

For everything at Dalton that drives Sebastian up the wall there’s something to make things easier. He charms a senior into helping him into a fake I.D. It’s easy to learn the best places to slip out to on a weekend, places that don’t card or don’t care, who’ll serve anyone with a working credit card and a smile. Sebastian smiles with the best of them. And then he joins the Warblers. Then he meets Blaine, who stands in front of the group singing with reckless abandon. Whose shy glances at the other boys during rehearsal catch Sebastian’s eye - they’re a good deal less reckless and it’s interesting. When he notices he’s being watched he blushes; he bites his lip like he’s begging Sebastian to bite it too. So he cuts in, slips into step beside him after rehearsal finishes. A coffee first; Blaine’s glances are shy but his performances aren’t. He knows more about the way the Warblers work than Sebastian, and he’ll give the knowledge freely.

Plus is gives Sebastian an excuse to get him alone. To get him talking, and smiling, and blushing in a way that only entices him more. By the time they’re getting up to leave, when Sebastian comments that he’d like to take him out to a club sometime, Blaine is staring at him with something like admiration in his eyes.

Sebastian will take what he can get.

\--

There’s a habit ingrained in Blaine’s psyche of buying things he never wears. Bowties, and brightly coloured shirts, suit jackets with patterns. Things that make Sebastian frown, and shrug, before saying, “You’re have more of a mind for fashion than I do, Killer.” It’s true. Sebastian wants to stand out, but he couldn’t give less of a damn about fashion. His wardrobe is even more classic and simple than the suits Blaine wears. Armani, mostly. Always expensive. But then he always looks sinful, and Blaine always leaves the house in the same clothes.

Still, sometimes he tops off late nights with by sneaking into the work wardrobes and peeking at the clothes they have lined up for photoshoots. It isn’t actually sneaking; he has more than enough reason to be in there. It just feels like it, going in when no one else is around, running careful fingers down the sleeves of his favourite pieces.

”I’m pretty sure you could afford those,” says a sharp voice as he’s studying a rack of Ernest Alexander shirts. He jerks around to see Kurt - who runs the wardrobe with what most of the staff call an iron hand and Blaine calls extreme efficiency - raising an eyebrow. “Given the amount your suits usually cost.”

Blaine’s chuckle is only half forced. “I don’t think these would really fit in with what I normally wear.”

Kurt shrugs. “Probably not. You do tend towards the classically boring.” He walks closer, smoothing out an invisible crease in one of the shirts, and frowns. “Please don’t take that as an insult, considering how easily you could get me fired.”

Blaine laughs, and this time it isn’t forced at all. “Maybe not all of us can pull off a camouflage suit, Kurt. But I’ll get out of your way, I know how careful you are around your kingdom.” He glances down. “It’s Bespoken, right?”

”I probably shouldn’t be surprised you know that, but I am.” Kurt’s smile is as sharp as the rest of him. “Well, if anything’s messed up next time I come in, I know it was you.”

Blaine’s halfway out the door when he talks again.

”Though if you’re just coming in to admire carefully I guess I don’t mind. I’ve been doing it with the Westwood jackets in the back all week.”

Blaine’s halfway home when he remembers the tie, a vivid white line down the front of Kurt’s chest; the same as it had been through the frosted glass of his door, only this time against a plum coloured shirt and that patterned blazer. It makes him smile, though he can’t quite pick why.

\--

Scandals is a dive bar, there isn’t much there most of the time. Sebastian can usually find someone to hook up with, but as long as he’s staying clean and getting his rocks off he’s not picky. Gay bars aren’t exactly dime a dozen around Westerville; Scandals is convenient. Anyway, it seems to be more than enough for Blaine who glances around wide-eyed as Sebastian leads him through the bar. They’re close enough their shoulders keep brushing, and he can’t help wondering if Blaine wants to hold his hand. He doesn’t reach for him, though, and Sebastian just braces his hand on his shoulder when they reach the bar.

”Want a drink, killer?” he asks, while Blaine keeps looking around, like he’s struggling to take it all in.

He nods though. “Sure,” he says, voice unsure - Sebastian can only just hear him over the music. “I don’t know what’s good though.”

”I’ll get you something you like,” Sebastian says, squeezing his shoulder.

He orders himself a beer and a shot of bourbon for himself, and a jack and coke for Blaine. He watches Blaine’s face as he sips; his brows furrow like he’s actually worried, but he smiles at Sebastian after he swallows. A big, happy smile. Like it’s something important. Sebastian smiles back and says, “Finish your drink, I want to dance.”

He kisses Blaine later, pressed up against the wall of the club. Blaine’s inexpert, but he’s enthusiastic, and he learns quickly, hands tangling in Sebastian’s hair, and tugging at his collar. They move to the back of his car, and Sebastian hates that it’s cramped but he loves the feeling of Blaine under him too much to care. It’s too easy to let his hands drift, brushing the top button of his jeans.

Blaine pulls back, eyes dark and voice cracking on Sebastian’s name.

Sebastian licks his swollen lips, and said, “What do you want?”

Their eyes stay locked until Blaine shakes his head and pulls Sebastian down into another kiss. This time when Sebastian’s hands drift lower, Blaine just presses into them.

\--

Sometimes it disappoints Blaine that Sebastian isn’t more familiar with his staff. He tries to be at least a little familiar with the people in Sebastian’s firm, at least enough to say hi to them when he drops in. Sebastian doesn’t make the same effort, most of the time. Maybe it isn’t even familiarity Blaine is looking for. Maybe it’s just courtesy. Because he’s known for years that Sebastian isn’t exactly the nicest person into the world. He’s generally nice to Blaine; other people don’t get the same attention. It’s a trait he’s done his best to change, or mollify, but Sebastian’s personality runs only slightly better groomed than it did in high school.

He’s staring at Kurt’s purple velvet jacket like it’s personally offending him. And Kurt’s staring back, with narrowed eyes, and a slight crease between his brows. Blaine’s heard about Kurt’s temper, but he’s never actually seen it in action, but the way Kurt’s fingers are tightening on the hanger of the shirt he’s holding it could come into play at any moment.

”I just came to see if you wanted to grab lunch, Killer,” Sebastian says, though he’s still watching Kurt. “Didn’t realise you were so busy.”

”Checking in on the Wardrobe for the shoot tomorrow,” Blaine says, keeping a smile on his face.

”We can come back to this later,” Kurt says, icily polite. “I’m sure you want to spend time with your friend.”

”Oh, this is Sebastian,” Blaine says, cursing his lack of manners, “My partner.”

Kurt’s eyebrows shoot up. “Then you probably want to go to lunch even more. The clothes will wait until you're back.”

”His eyes probably need a rest too,” Sebastian says. “Considering how colourful you are.”

Blaine’s absolutely sure Kurt has to be biting back several comments, but he keeps his eyes on Blaine. “You don’t even need to approve this yourself, so it’s fine.”

Blaine forces a smile back. “I’ll try my best to make it back in, I do want to see everything before tomorrow.”

At lunch he doesn’t know what to say to Sebastian. It doesn’t help that Sebastian’s got one foot resting against his ankle, plus he’s smiling at him over the table like he’s got several large secrets. Blaine’s never been able to resist that face. He’s smiling before he even realises the awkwardness from the conversation is fading. Eventually he’s chuckling, looking down at his plate. Like he could possibly ignore Sebastian when his foot is rubbing against his ankle.

”You could be much nicer, you know?” he says, trying to salvage something. “Kurt’s really nice.”

”He looked like a traffic light,” Sebastian replies, shrugging. “I just don’t get why people dress like that.”

”I don’t get why you act like you do,” Blaine teases back.

Sebastian winks. “You love it, though.”

And the truth is, Blaine does.

Even when Sebastian finishes the conversation by saying, “Oh, by the way, I’m out tonight. Don’t wait up,” he still savours the kiss left on his lips.

\--

It takes a surprisingly long time for Blaine to get upset with Sebastian. Maybe it’s because they never talk about it. They don’t talk about what they are, and for the most part nothing gets in the way. Until something does, and is Sebastian wasn’t so frustrated he’d roll his eyes at how cliched it was. Blaine playing the part of the good boyfriend, dropping by Sebastian’s room, while Sebastian was the one tangled up in someone else’s limbs, with his lips on their neck and his hand down their pants. Like a fucking teen movie. Which is ridiculous, because teen movies are ridiculous, and Sebastian would never deign to reenact the plot of one.

It just feels that way when he finds Blaine, caught between angry and sad in his own room, barely opening the door to Sebastian. “I just don’t understand why you’d do that to me,” he says, voice half scornful and half a heartbroken little boy.

Sebastian holds back a sigh. “Do what, Blaine?”

Blaine chokes back something that’s almost a laugh. “What the fuck do you think, Sebastian?”

It’s one of the first times Sebastian’s heard Blaine swear. “I wasn’t cheating on you.” He forces words forward, past Blaine’s incredulous stare. “Look, we were never exclusive. I didn’t think you’d mind.” Blaine just looks more confused, and Sebastian can’t hold his sigh back this time. “Please just let me in so we can talk about this properly?”

He can see Blaine’s brain working. “Fine.” He steps back, letting Sebastian through the door, but stays standing, folding his arms the minute he’s let go of the door. “Talk.”

”I don’t believe in monogamy,” Sebastian says, shrugging. “I’ve talked to you about it before. It’s a construct for heterosexual couples to have kids that are just theirs, and I don’t think I could ever actually be in that kind of relationship. There’s no reason for me to be.”

Blaine stares at him, something unsure creeping into his face. “So you’re saying you’re never going to be just mine?”

”That’s not what I’m saying,” Sebastian said, carefully. He doesn’t want to lose Blaine, not now, not after he’s had months of getting used to him around. Of wanting him around. The fact that he wants other people too doesn’t change that, and he has to impress that into Blaine’s mind. “I’m with you. I don’t like labels, but I’m _with_ you, and whoever else ends up in my bed doesn’t change that. Do you get it? I care about you.” He reaches for Blaine’s hands’ tugging them away from his chest; tugging Blaine closer.

”Okay,” Blaine says quietly, watching his face. “Okay. We just... I need to talk about this more later.”

Sebastian nods, and pulls Blaine against his chest. His ribs feel empty with a relief he doesn’t entirely understand.

\--

Kurt avoids him for two full days, and Blaine drives himself crazy coming up with reasons why. Kurt’s good at his job, so he can’t imagine he’s done anything wrong. He doesn’t think he’s left anything awry in the wardrobe on his recent visits. He’s always careful with that. But he’s definitely avoiding, nonetheless. It’s not like it consumes Blaine’s mind. He has plenty to focus on. But it pops into his brain at inopportune moments. Like it can’t leave him alone. Until finally Kurt slips into his office with a worried expression and stiff shoulders.

”So, what would you do if you, potentially saw someone’s boyfriend kissing someone else,” Kurt starts, clearly uncomfortable, and realisation floods Blaine. “Because I kind of saw Sebastian doing that the other day.”

Part of Blaine is embarrassed, but he mostly feels awkward, and bad for Kurt coming to tell him. “Sebastian and I are in an open relationship, Kurt,” he says, figuring it’s easiest to dive straight in. “Thank you for telling me. I know you must feel really awkward about this, but it’s nothing you need to worry about.”

Kurt’s eyebrows shoot up, and Blaine wonders if he’s being judged. “Oh. That’s... I guess that’s different then.”

It’s awkward, but Blaine figures it’s good to have out there.

It’s less good when Sebastian gets home late and responds to Blaine’s query about his night with a, “He was great, you should meet him.” And then laughs Blaine’s frown. “What’s up your ass, Killer?” he asks, fingers brushing easily along Blaine’s jaw.

”You don’t usually feel the need to tell me about them,” he says flatly. “And someone from work saw you the other day, he came into my office to let me know I was being cheated on.”

Sebastian laughs, and comes closer, hand tangling in the back of Blaine’s hair. “How sweet.” His eyes sharpen, smile fixed. “Was it Kurt?”

”Why does it matter who it was?” Blaine asks. “It was awkward is what it was.”

Sebastian snorts, stepping back. “Why are you so embarrassed of our relationship? he shoots back. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of. If I fuck a nice chorus boy a couple of times what does it matter, I always end up back here.”

The bottom falls out of Blaine’s stomach. There are _rules_ , there have been since sophomore year of college, where things almost fell apart completely, where Blaine could negotiate their relationship with a little more confidence. He stares at Sebastian, hands working into fists. “It’s never supposed to be more than once.”

Sebastian shrugs and laughs. “Lighten up, he was a good lay, I decided to go back for some more. I’m here again, aren’t I?”

Blaine wants to talk about how it’s the principle of the act, about how breaking the rules once just makes it okay to break them again, about how if Sebastian keeps doing it he’ll start to feel more and more like he’s slipping away. Instead he shakes his head and goes to their room to start packing a suitcase.

Sebastian follows him and that’s when things fall apart.

\--

The next time they go out Sebastian puts on his nicest, best fitting shirt, and dances only with Blaine. Even though Blaine’s wearing a fucking sweater vest and a plaid shirt. Because it isn’t about sex for once, it’s about showing off himself, and showing off that he’ll stay with Blaine. Even if it’s simple, and stupid and there are a quite a few other prospects in the audience. Blaine keeps smiling like it’s the best fucking night of his life, and for some reason that makes warmth curl in the bottom of Sebastian’s stomach too.

\--

The first weeks after Blaine’s fight with Sebastian (their break up, his mind says, and he pushes it away) Blaine just can’t be bothered with thinking. He wears his easiest suits, monochrome, and classic, and professional. Not one of them involves the need to think. After three years of Dalton he can tie and tie in his sleep, and he’s always been good at keeping neat. Everything is pressed and tidy. It’s not interesting. But Blaine’s having a hard enough time focussing on his work, let alone something supplementary like his clothes. (He’s pretty sure Kurt would tell him fashion is never supplementary, but he just doesn’t have the energy).

It’s fine up until he actually sees Sebastian again, walking out of what was one of their favourite cafes with his arm around a leggy blonde. It has to be the chorus boy. It _has_ to be, and suddenly it’s bitterness instead of apathy curled at the bottom of his stomach.

The look on his face when he gets back to the office has to be interesting, because Kurt watches him whenever he’s within sight, and when most people are gone he knocks on the office door and says he’s been told he’s a good listener. Blaine doesn’t mean to. It’s really not something he should be talking about to a coworker, especially someone under his management. But the whole story comes spilling out and Kurt _is_ a good listener. He even makes the right remarks, (as soon and Blaine mentioned being sure the blonde was the chorus boy, Kurt responded with, “You could smell the legwarmers, couldn’t you?” and it was the first thing to make Blaine laugh all afternoon). Guilt starts replacing the bitterness once he’s done, but Kurt is adamant that he needs to be angry at his ex. He leaves Blaine’s office with a wink and the suggestion that they should probably let the next session be somewhere like his apartment rather than their workspace.

The hotel room Blaine’s staying in is small and depressing, and when he’s alone the bitterness returns a little. There really isn’t much of a place to unpack the clothes he’s brought with him while he’s looking for a new apartment, but he’s setting some pieces out to iron when he comes across a bow-tie, silk and apple green, tangled in with the black and charcoal ones he’d put into the corner of his suitcase.

He remembers the expression Sebastian had on his face every time he brought home something like that.

The next morning he ties it around his neck, and stares at the brightness of it against the navy of his jacket for almost thirty seconds before shaking himself away in the mirror. The way Kurt’s expression changes when he seems him wipes away any doubts he had.

\--

Sebastian is twenty-eight when he drops by Blaine’s work gets pointed towards the wardrobe. Where Blaine is smiling at some blatantly gay kid in a purple blazer like he’s the second fucking coming. He looks surprised when he sees Sebastian, and almost disappointed. It leaves a bitter taste curling around Sebastian’s tongue. Blaine’s been getting tired, it’s been obvious for a long time, and Sebastian’s opinions haven’t changed since high school. There’s no way he’s letting a fashion obsessed upstart, with an eye for colour that came straight from the eighties, steal what’s been his for years. If things go to shit, they go to shit on his terms. He puts on his best suit, and waits for a good opportunity to come along.

\--

Blaine’s sixteen, and Sebastian’s telling him he cares. About _him_. And he’s looking at him like it’s true, and Blaine’s never been good at not believing him. So he nods. He let’s Sebastian loosen his tie and use it to pull him closer, and tells himself he can trust him. That it’ll always be a good thing.


End file.
